ImGame: The New Mobile Gaming Check-In App

Ever since Foursquare saw a massive growth in popularity, it’s become clear that mobile social networking is on the rise. Facebook also recently purchased another big-time check-in service, Gowalla, back in December 2011. But users are look for more than geographic check-ins.

ImGame is a revolutionary idea which attracts gamers of all crowds! The app behaves as a check-in social network where you can share what game(s) you’re playing. Check-ins are performed in real time and you can even accept push notifications for when your friends are online too. Find out more after the jump.

Getting Started

When you first open the app you’re introduced with two options: you can either log in with an existing username or register a new account. It’s unlikely you already have an ImGame account, so hit the new account button and you’re brought to a fairly complex sign-up view.

ImGame signup registration form

All of the fields are required except for uploading a custom avatar. You’ll to have to enter a unique username, your first and last name, e-mail address, along with a secure password.

Alternate forms for new users

On the second page you’re offered the chance to fill out additional profile information. None of these fields are required, but they help your profile stand out a bit more in the community. If you connect with a Twitter or Facebook account, you can also choose to share each of your check-ins with those services. Adding game network accounts doesn’t affect your profile itself, but it does give other users options to contact you via alternate means.

Managing your Check-ins

From the main view you’ll notice three tab icons. The first is your activity feed set by default and it displays a list of all your friends’ check-ins. You will also appear in this feed, and if you tap on individual check-ins you can leave comments. It’s a great way to interact with your fellow gamers!

Now if you tap on the middle button, this brings up the check-in screen. On this view you can search for a specific game title or choose from a list of your most recent check-ins. Each game is displayed with box artwork and a tag referencing a specific console system. This is very useful when you are searching through popular titles that have been released on more than one console (Wii, PC, PS3, Xbox).

Live friend's activity list

Tap to select your game and this brings up the check-in screen. Similar to Foursquare, you are given a small space to enter some additional comments. If you choose to share your check-in on Twitter or Facebook, this comment is also appended. But notice this is an entirely optional process and you can check-in without any additional comment.

I really like this feature and how familiar the controls are. It works splendid as a check-in mobile app with a unique twist. Plus the more you check-in the more tokens you can discover!

Unlocking Points & Tokens

For each check-in you receive a set number of points added to your account total. Over time this builds up reputation and you can even unlock small tokens to display on your profile. Granted, this isn’t the only way to unlock tokens, but possibly the easiest.

The creators of ImGame were crafty to implement such a accessible token system. This mimics the rewards system of Foursquare where you can unlock badges as you go from place-to-place. It’s a brilliant strategy of game mechanics which keeps players interested in checking into more diverse titles.

Profile tokens listing

It’s definitely possible that the developers will release new tokens as time goes on. I’ve seen some really brilliant ideas including retro tokens, FPS, and I even unlocked one as a beta tester for the app. The game is always ongoing and it’s a blast to follow along with your friends.

Connecting with Others

In the final tab view is your personal profile. This includes your total number of check-ins, points, tokens and friends list. A fun feature, “pwnerships,” tallies the total number of games you are pwning right now. This list is calculated to include the games you’ve checked into the most, and other players can easily take away your pwnership with enough check-ins. It’s almost like a mayorship status for video games.

User profile view display

Also towards the bottom of each profile you can find a list of popular game network IDs such as PSN, Xbox Live, iOS Game Center, etc. This is possibly one of my favorite features added into ImGame. It lets players connect outside of the app who would have likely never met each other before.

But another alternative to finding friends is to use the search page. This can be accessed from the top right button found on your profile view. The network isn’t large at all, so there aren’t a whole lot of players currently active. But it’s still very easy to locate your friends search by username and by digging through other profiles.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with the progress coming out from ImGame. The two founders, Joshua Corliss and James Hall, have been working tirelessly to pump out bug fixes and updates. The service has come a long way since beta testing and there is still plenty of room for improvement. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and really enjoy gaming I highly recommend trying out this new social network. It’s 100-percent free to download and boasts some very impressive features.

Summary

ImGame
Reviewed by Jake Rocheleau on
Feb 2.
The ImGame social network lets you check-in and share whenever you’re gaming. It’s a fun way to keep up with friends and learn about new video games.
Rating:
10 out of
10